


Bronze Watch

by orphan_account



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bones is an Idiot too, Fluff and Angst, Jim is an idiot, M/M, Makeup, Pike's fatherly advice, Post-Break Up, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 14:12:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10492629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Leonard just wanted to fix his father's watch and now he's near tears in a jewelry store. This is all Jim's fault, but Leonard wouldn't have it any other way.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Roddenberry and Abrams are better at life than me, which is why they own these wonderful creations and I'm eat a taco for breakfast.

Leonard woke this morning to an alarm blaring and the realization the he fell asleep in his work clothes. His plan to grab breakfast and return to sleep was placed on hold as he realized his watch, or rather his father’s watch, had stopped. He shrugged on a pair of ripped jeans and an old “ole miss” t-shirt before heading out the door.

Now he stood in the only jewelers in the city talking to the owner, Pike, while the “watch doctor” worked his magic. In the middle of a conversation about Leonard’s daughter Joanna the Pike leaned up and sighed, “One thing I hate about my job is when someone comes back in to sell a wedding or engagement ring.”

Leonard, whose back was to the door, turned to see what Pike was talking about. Leonard’s blood felt like ice in his veins, standing outside the tinted, barred windows was James T. Kirk. Leonard turned around muttering, “Well he sure moves fast.”

Pike raised his brow at the man across the counter. Leonard felt a slight panic as he saw the clarity in the man’s eyes. “Don’t know about fast he’s probably had that ring for a year and a half, maybe two years now.”

Leonard froze, Jim and him only broke up a year ago. Pike, seeing that he had hit his mark leaned forward, “Now maybe I’m over stepping my bounds but with the way that boy spoke of you, it had to have been love.”

Leonard scoffed, “I don’t believe that for a minute. If it was love he would have chosen me.”

Pike backed up a bit to take in the situation in full. “Not sure what the choices were but if it was love why’d you make him chose?”

Leonard felt his anger rising, “He wouldn’t stop driving his father's damn motorcycle! If he wasn’t in the emergency room for crashing it, he was in jail for not wearing a helmet. He picked up my daughter from school with it and I just lost it. He told me to stop making him pick between me and his father and I told him I’d stop when he stopped making me chose between him and my daughter.”

Pike’s calm eyes settled Leonard’s anger, which was more anger at the fact that he was no longer angry than actual anger at the situation. Leonard sighed, “I left and I didn’t go back, I didn’t call, he didn’t call, he didn’t come get me. I don’t know.”

Pike cleared his throat. “Sounds like a fight that wasn’t worth it. Why don’t you go out there and try again?”

Leonard laughed, it sounded slightly hysterical. “He’s here to sell it back, clearly he’s moved on.”

Pike’s kind smile confused Leonard. “You’d think but he’s stood outside that door from opening to closing for the past four days and this is the first time this week he’s been late. I’m assuming it’s because he’s hungover. He doesn’t look so swift.”

Leonard still looked uncertain so Pike tried a different tactic. “He’s tall, not too tall but taller than me.”

Leonard’s face turned confused but Pike pressed on, “He’s a hard worker and his hours are long but that just means our time together is worth more. His hair is brown and he tries so hard to keep it tamed but he runs his hands through it so much it’s a mess by the end of the day.”

Pike raised his brow as Leonard sheepishly removed his hand from his hair. Leonard opened his mouth but Pike wasn’t finished. “He’s got a beautiful daughter that I can’t wait to call my step-daughter. Don’t ask me what my favorite part about him is. His hands, so strong and always steady. His eyes, they are heterochromia, means they change color like a kaleidoscope. They never look the same in color but they always shine with love. His heart, so full of compassion. I don’t know, he’s just great. I want a bronze ring. I know gold and silver are traditional but bronze would match his dad’s watch. I think he’d like that.”

Leonard was trying hard to bite back his tears. “He said all that?”

Pike nodded. “I want you to think long and hard here kid, because I guarantee that boy out there still loves you, is it work it to lose him?”

Leonard looked back out the window. Jim was still staring at the store front, scuffing his converse on the sidewalk. Pike was right, Jim looked like shit. He’d clearly gotten into a bar fight but his black eye seemed to be the only casualty. As Leonard watched him, Jim’s phone went off with a text. Whoever sent it, sent something that caused Jim to stand up straight and square his shoulders. Leonard had a slight panic as Jim marched through the door. Jim seemed to deflate as the bell above the door rang out in the nearly empty store. Leonard was relieved to note Jim hadn’t noticed him yet.

Jim walked up to the counter and placed the ring box on the counter. “I’d like to return this.”

Jim’s voice sounded rough. Pike looked to Leonard before turning back to Jim. “You sure about that son?”

Jim hesitated for a moment, reaching back for the box before he nodded. Leonard had seen enough. Pike was right again, the fight wasn’t worth it. He reached for the box and Jim, unaware who was trying to grab it, placed his hand on top of Leonard’s. When Jim looked up his face went blank and he pulled back his hand like it had been burned.

Leonard cleared his throat, “I would have said yes.” He paused as pain flared across Jim’s face. “I’d still say yes it you asked me now.”

Jim’s head shot up and he searched Leonard’s face for something. Whatever he was looking for must have been there because he gave a weak smirk in Leonard’s direction. “Isn’t that moving a bit fast? Maybe buy me dinner first?”

Leonard pulled Jim into a hug. “I think we wasted enough time already.”

A wolf whistle pulled them apart. They turned to Pike who in turn pointed to his coworker. The new comer smiled, “Got to say boys, you sure gave a show. Fixed your daddy’s watch.” 

Pike smacked the man on the shoulder, “Ignore Phil, you want to keep the ring Jim?”

“I don’t think I’ll be keeping that ring.” Jim said but before Leonard could get too disappointed he held out the box. “Bones, think you can hold on to this for me.”

Leonard smiled, “It’d be my pleasure.”

___

A month later Christopher Pike and Philip Boyce received a save the date note in the mail followed by a wedding invitation. Four months after that, Christopher Pike managed to score a dance with one of the grooms. Mr. Leonard “Bones” Kirk-McCoy was a fairly good dancer and as the song came to a close Pike leaned towards the man. “One thing I love about my job is when someone gets their happy ending. I wish you both well, you two remind me of another couple who were too stubborn for their own good. We came out just fine and so will you. Have fun on your honeymoon.” With that Pike walked away with a smirk on his face, he had to go save his husband from the interrogation Joanna Kirk-McCoy seemed to be putting him through.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no beta reader and despite making A's in English, I know my grammar sucks. Sorry about that.


End file.
